Lancaster will spend $100,000 in public funds to advertise the city's new auto sales mall, following a decision by Palmdale earlier this year to spend nearly $2.5 million in much broader aid to that city's rival auto center. The Lancaster program, approved by the city's Redevelopment Agency on Monday night, is a legitimate use of public funds, according to outside experts. But, they said, the costlier Palmdale program raises the question of whether that city engaged in an illegal giveaway.

Lancaster will spend $100,000 in public funds to advertise the city's new auto sales mall, following a decision by Palmdale earlier this year to spend nearly $2.5 million in much broader aid to that city's rival auto center. The Lancaster program, approved by the city's Redevelopment Agency on Monday night, is a legitimate use of public funds, according to outside experts. But, they said, the costlier Palmdale program raises the question of whether that city engaged in an illegal giveaway.

Lancaster's redevelopment agency has allocated $1.25 million to launch "Operation High Desert Storm," a recently announced campaign to clean up a decaying, crime-ridden neighborhood along Cedar Avenue north of Avenue I. City Council members, acting as redevelopment directors, voted 3 to 0 Monday night to transfer the money from another project, a planned mobile home park on city-owned property at 30th Street East and Avenue I.

Lancaster's redevelopment agency has allocated $1.25 million to launch "Operation High Desert Storm," a recently announced campaign to clean up a decaying, crime-ridden neighborhood along Cedar Avenue north of Avenue I. City Council members, acting as redevelopment directors, voted 3 to 0 Monday night to transfer the money from another project, a planned mobile home park on city-owned property at 30th Street East and Avenue I.